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JBB: Your statement makes the tacit assumption of a full FargoDome. We all know that only happens when UND comes into town. In terms of average attendance, the difference is around (probably under) 1000 tickets.

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and that was without the 20,000+ sellout Nickel Game, a cancelled game vs. Maine that already had 17,000+ tickets sold, and a lackluster turnout for the last game.

Speaking of that lackluster turnout, I would think that the crowd for the Omaha game last year in Fargo might be a source of concern in the athletic department at ndsu. It was the best home game the bison had, but since the playoffs were a virtual impossibility at that point, a lot of people stayed away. Of course, that is just as likely to happen here late in the season if the Sioux are out of the playoff hunt, but Fargo apparently has at least its share of fair weather fans. That's probably why attendance for basketball hasn't been too good lately in Fargo.

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I believe there also was something else going on the weekend of the NDSU/UNO game. Deer opener or something. I remember attendance was expected to be lower because of this other "event". There was over 13,000 for the SDSU game, and NDSU already had 2 losses-virtually eliminated from the playoffs.

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Question for Sioux fans, especially residents of Grand Forks- Why is the comparison of a D1AA NDSU to a D1A U of M being made? I know the gophers are in financial trouble, but they also have hockey and a D1A football program with much greater expenses. It sounds like telling someone not to buy a new car because a new Ferrari costs $500,000.

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Question for Sioux fans, especially residents of Grand Forks- Why is the comparison of a D1AA NDSU to a D1A U of M being made? I know the gophers are in financial trouble, but they also have hockey and a D1A football program with much greater expenses. It sounds like telling someone not to buy a new car because a new Ferrari costs $500,000.

I think they're talking about Minnesota because hockey and football at U of M are two of the only profitable sports (I think there might be one other?) Since football is the only sport with 1AA, any D-I school has the same obligations in other sports. If Minnesota's massively popular football and hockey programs can't support all the non-revenue programs, that may be a hint to the difficulties involved. (Minnesota, of course, has a theoretical capacity of like 60,000 at it's football games -- it's no Michigan, but it's no UND or NDSU either).

If Minnesota football (the only program classified differently from NDSU's potential affiliation) were non-profitable, you'd have a point that their expenses are higher being I-A instead of I-AA. I think the cold hard reality of modern college sports at the D-I level is that non-revenue sports are under immense pressure at all but the most successful schools. That's a vast difference from D-II where costs are much lower and UND and NDSU are among the highest revenue/most successful programs.

They're clearly not perfect comparisons because every school has its own revenue and cost structures, but U of M and U of Montana are interesting looks at some other D-I and D-IAA programs.

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Actually, FB was the least profitable of the three as well. There are still rumors swirling around MSP of program cuts next year, unless the alums step up and effectively "endow" certain programs and take them off the school's budget. As well, all teams' travel budgets are being reviewed, again. "Hello, Motel 6!"

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Actually, FB was the least profitable of the three as well. There are still rumors swirling around MSP of program cuts next year, unless the alums step up and effectively "endow" certain programs and take them off the school's budget. As well, all teams' travel budgets are being reviewed, again. "Hello, Motel 6!"

Noone has told me how Minnesota can bid the regionals (hockey), yet never have the budget to travel. What is wrong with this picture?

Back to football.

I checked the teams that Maine F-ball play this year I don't think I would brag if I were a Maine fan. UND and NDSU would beat up those cream puffs.

Bisonguy, You would have us call the arena's, Grand Forks Dome and the Sioux Sports Arena?

I like the Al &Ralph much better than Mary's-Oochie where the Rodents play.

Or how about Montana. The Jungle?Are they not named after a Grizzly Bear?I would think The Wilderness.

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Division 1-AA was formed in the late 70's as an alternative to high cost programs such as Minnesota and their kind. Teams that still wanted to compete at the Division I level, but without the fluff. It's a good philosophy.

And, University of Minnesota football, which does fund a lot of the other sports there, is nowhere near self-sufficiency.